Isolated polynucleotides and polypeptides, and methods of using same for increasing plant yield and/or agricultural characteristics

Abstract

Provided are isolated polypeptides which are at least 80% homologous to SEQ ID NOs: 182-184, 186-202, 204-216, 219-223, 225, 227-232, 235-236, 238, 240-260, 262-268, 270-275, 277-287, 289-297, 3651-3671, 3686, 3720-3721, 3724, 3727, 3735, 3754, 3774, 3795-4304, 4316, 4374, 4425, 4464, 4481-4813, 4824, 4833, 4843-4844, 4867-4869, 4888, 4890-4891, 5005-5050, 5053-5070, 5093, 5217, 5231, 5233, 5239, 5246, 5255, 5257-5296, 5412, 5415-5429, 5447-5456, 5465-5673, 5675-5686, 5688-5695, 5697-5698, 5700, 5702-5707, 5709-5715, 5717-5785, 5831, 5869, 5980, 6010-6043, 6045-6053, 6055-6093, 6132, 6383, 6405, 6493, 6523, 6533-6537, and 6563-6589, isolated polynucleotides encoding same, nucleic acid constructs comprising same, transgenic cells expressing same, transgenic plants expressing same and method of using same for increasing yield, abiotic stress tolerance, growth rate, biomass, vigor, oil content, photosynthetic capacity, seed yield, fiber yield, fiber quality, fiber length, and/or nitrogen use efficiency of a plant.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of increasing growth rate, biomass, and/or abiotic stress tolerance of a plant, comprising:
 (a) transforming a plant with a nucleic acid construct comprising a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth by SEQ ID NO: 196 or a homologous polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 95% identical to SEQ ID NO: 196, wherein any substitutions with respect to SEQ ID NO: 196 are conservative amino acid substitutions, wherein said nucleic acid construct further comprises a constitutive promoter operably linked to said polynucleotide, wherein said amino acid sequence increases biomass, growth rate and/or tolerance of a plant to abiotic stress conditions, wherein said abiotic stress is drought stress and/or nitrogen deficiency, and 
 (b) selecting under said abiotic stress conditions plants transformed with said nucleic acid construct for an increased trait as compared to a control plant of the same species which is grown under the same growth conditions, wherein said abiotic stress conditions are such that cause adverse effect on metabolism, growth, reproduction and/or viability of a control plant, wherein said trait is selected from the group consisting of: dry weight, fresh weight, growth rate of root coverage, growth rate of rosette diameter, leaf blade area, leaf area, root coverage, root length, and rosette area, 
 thereby increasing the growth rate, biomass, and/or abiotic stress tolerance of the plant. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising growing the plant expressing said polynucleotide under the abiotic stress conditions for at least 10 days. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said leaf blade area, said growth rate of rosette diameter and/or said rosette area is increased under drought-stress conditions employed for at least 10 days as compared to a control plant grown under the same conditions and for the same time duration. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said fresh weight, said dry weight, said leaf area, said root coverage, said root length, and/or said growth rate of root coverage is increased under nitrogen deficiency employed for at least 10 days as compared to a control plant grown under the same conditions and for the same time duration. 
     
     
       5. A method of increasing growth rate, biomass, and/or abiotic stress tolerance of a plant, comprising:
 (a) transforming a plant with a nucleic acid construct comprising a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 99% identical to the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 196, 270, 4116, 4117, 4118, 4119, 4120, 4121, 4122, 4123, 4124, 4125, 4126, 4127, 4128, 4129, 4130, 4131, 4132, 4133, 4134, 4137, 4137, 4138, 4139, 4140, 4141, 4142, 4143, 4144, 4145, 4146, 4147, 4148, 4149, 4151, 4152, 4153, 4154, 4156, 4157, 4158, 4159, 4160, 4161, 4162, 4163, 4164, 4165, 4166, 4167, 4168, 4169, 4169, 4170, 4171, 4172, 4173, 4174, 4175, 4176, 4177, 4178, 4179, 6533, 6534, and 6535, wherein said nucleic acid construct further comprises a constitutive promoter operably linked to said polynucleotide, wherein said amino acid sequence increases biomass, growth rate and/or tolerance of a plant to abiotic stress, wherein said abiotic stress is drought stress and/or nitrogen deficiency, and 
 (b) selecting under said abiotic stress conditions plants transformed with said nucleic acid construct for an increased trait as compared to a control plant of the same species which is grown under the same growth conditions, wherein said abiotic stress conditions are such that cause adverse effect on metabolism, growth, reproduction and/or viability of a control plant, wherein said trait is selected from the group consisting of: dry weight, fresh weight, growth rate of root coverage, growth rate of rosette diameter, leaf blade area, leaf area, root coverage, root length, and rosette area, 
 thereby increasing the growth rate, biomass, and/or abiotic stress tolerance of the plant. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 196. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 5 , wherein said polynucleotide comprises a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 114, 15, 91, 812, 813, 814, 815, 816, 817, 818, 819, 820, 821, 822, 823, 824, 825, 826, 827, 828, 829, 830, 831, 832, 833, 834, 835, 836, 837, 838, 839, 840, 841, 842, 843, 844, 845, 846, 847, 848, 849, 850, 851, 852, 853, 854, 855, 856, 858, 859, 860, 861, 862, 863, 864, 865, 866, 867, 868, 869, 870, 871, 872, 873, 874, 875, 876, 877, 878, 879, 880, 881, 882, 883, and 884. 
     
     
       8. A method of reducing time to flowering and/or time to inflorescence emergence of a plant, comprising:
 (a) transforming a plant with a nucleic acid construct comprising a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth by SEQ ID NO: 196 or a homologous polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 95% identical to SEQ ID NO: 196, wherein any substitutions with respect to SEQ ID NO: 196 are conservative amino acid substitutions, wherein said nucleic acid construct further comprises a constitutive promoter operably linked to said polynucleotide, wherein said amino acid sequence reduces time to flowering and/or time to inflorescence emergence, and 
 (b) selecting plants transformed with said nucleic acid construct for a reduced time to flowering and/or for a reduced time to inflorescence emergence as compared to a control plant of the same species which is grown under the same growth conditions, 
 thereby reducing time to flowering and/or time to inflorescence emergence of a plant of the plant. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein said polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 196. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , wherein said selecting of said plants in step (b) is for a reduced time to inflorescence emergence as compared to a control plant of the same species which is grown under the same growth conditions. 
     
     
       11. A method of reducing time to flowering and/or time to inflorescence emergence of a plant, comprising:
 (a) transforming a plant with a nucleic acid construct comprising a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 196, 270, 4116, 4117, 4118, 4119, 4120, 4121, 4122, 4123, 4124, 4125, 4126, 4127, 4128, 4129, 4130, 4131, 4132, 4133, 4134, 4137, 4137, 4138, 4139, 4140, 4141, 4142, 4143, 4144, 4145, 4146, 4147, 4148, 4149, 4151, 4152, 4153, 4154, 4156, 4157, 4158, 4159, 4160, 4161, 4162, 4163, 4164, 4165, 4166, 4167, 4168, 4169, 4169, 4170, 4171, 4172, 4173, 4174, 4175, 4176, 4177, 4178, 4179, 6533, 6534, and 6535, wherein said nucleic acid construct further comprises a constitutive promoter operably linked to said polynucleotide, wherein said amino acid sequence reduces time to flowering and/or time to inflorescence emergence, and 
 (b) selecting plants transformed with said nucleic acid construct for a reduced time to flowering and/or for a reduced time to inflorescence emergence as compared to a control plant of the same species which is grown under the same growth conditions, 
 thereby reducing time to flowering and/or time to inflorescence emergence of a plant of the plant. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein said polynucleotide comprises a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 114, 15, 91, 812, 813, 814, 815, 816, 817, 818, 819, 820, 821, 822, 823, 824, 825, 826, 827, 828, 829, 830, 831, 832, 833, 834, 835, 836, 837, 838, 839, 840, 841, 842, 843, 844, 845, 846, 847, 848, 849, 850, 851, 852, 853, 854, 855, 856, 858, 859, 860, 861, 862, 863, 864, 865, 866, 867, 868, 869, 870, 871, 872, 873, 874, 875, 876, 877, 878, 879, 880, 881, 882, 883, and 884. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , wherein said selecting said plants in step (b) is for a reduced time to inflorescence emergence as compared to a control plant of the same species which is grown under the same growth conditions.